NOVEL NEXT Chapter 696
**Dark Heaven Village**
Zhuge Sa was acutely aware that his combat power was vastly inferior to Zhuge Yulong right before him. Of course, he had confidence in his sorcery and magical power, believing himself superior to Zhuge Yulong in those areas, but even that wasn’t a significant advantage. After all, Zhuge Yulong had long since allied with the Eight Parts of the Divine and had no qualms about his contract with the Old Ruler.
Moreover, as one of the Three Great Masters of the Orthodox Martial World, and known as the Old Sage of Mount Tai, Zhuge Yulong possessed exceptional martial arts skills and his sorcery was without comparison. He was a genius who could have easily ascended to the Celestial Realm by the age of twenty as a local Immortal.
Zhuge Sa, who had never thought himself lacking in talent or intellect in the world, still found Zhuge Yulong a consistently formidable opponent. His brother was an outstanding genius far surpassing him in prowess.
In other words, he might very well be a monster who had achieved mastery in the three realms of martial arts, sorcery, and magic.
If he were to face Zhuge Yulong head-on, it was certain he would perish within three seconds. Even Baek Woong, without the help of Cheon Woo-jin, would find it questionable whether he could defeat Zhuge Yulong. Therefore, Zhuge Sa decided to stall for time with words.
“Did you bring the Earth Star here? I also brought a Seven Luminaries.”
Attempting to unsettle Zhuge Yulong with a cunning lie, Zhuge Sa was met with a nonchalant response.
“Alright. Then I can use the Seven Luminaries.”
“Wait a—”
“Die.”
Thud thud thud!
**Ultimate Technique**
**Entering the Clouds and Ascending the Dragon**
It felt as if a green whirlwind was raging. Zhuge Yulong shot toward Zhuge Sa like a deck being unfolded, unleashing a hand strike. The speed was so fast that Zhuge Sa, who had barely crossed into the ranks of the top-tier martial artists, could neither dodge nor block.
Zhuge Sa widened his eyes. The speed was beyond anything he had anticipated.
“It’s different when facing you directly.”
From the start, no one had ever doubted Zhuge Yulong’s martial ability while he operated as the Old Sage of Mount Tai among the Three Great Masters of the Orthodox Martial World. Even if his identity was fake, his skills were undeniable, and against the elite martial artists of the world, his casual techniques had no chance of succeeding.
Bang!
Naturally, Zhuge Sa’s head shattered into pieces. While he was unmatched in magic and knowledge, he had not dedicated the same effort to martial arts. It was only natural for him to stand no chance in a single second.
Zhuge Yulong, who showed no hesitation in killing his own brother, stood calmly amidst the splattering blood, muttering softly.
“Purification Technique.”
Blood that had been splattered around Zhuge Yulong’s body suddenly vanished as if washed away. Activating his sorcery to erase the blood stains, Zhuge Yulong said in a low voice.
“A curse of blood? Pathetic. Such a low-grade magic.”
He lifted his gaze, scanning the area.
“Controlling dolls again? Your techniques remain unchanged. Are you afraid to face your brother directly, Sa?”
“Of course I’m afraid.”
*Step step*
“You can’t earn respect while mercilessly shattering your cute little brother’s head.”
From the darkness at the back of the cave, Zhuge Sa’s figure slowly emerged. Strangely, despite having just been killed by Zhuge Yulong’s strike, he had instantly revived! Of course, Zhuge Yulong realized this was not true resurrection but rather a body switch via a doll, causing him to frown.
“The Soul Exchange Technique. So you’ve made that your possession… That’s the worst.”
Though it was their first direct encounter, Zhuge Yulong was well-versed in knowledge from across ages and continents, fully aware of the legacy and power of the Soul Exchange Technique. It could manipulate a person at will, with those under control completely unaware of their predicament, and a master could freely possess their soul—an infamous art taught to the Heretical Sect’s leader! No wonder Zhuge Yulong had to be cautious against such a vile sorcery.
Zhuge Sa replied smoothly, “What? You don’t seem like your real body either.”
“Think what you want.”
*Whoosh!*
As Zhuge Yulong drew his long sword, a chilling sword strength instantly crystallized in the air. The fact that he could create such a formidable power in a single breath without any preparatory movements indicated he was a supremely skilled expert. For any martial artist, it was a scene that would cause their heart to plummet in fear, and as Zhuge Yulong aimed his sword technique, he spoke.
“How quickly will the dolls we’ve prepared for each other fall? Will I keep cutting you down, or will you keep dying?”
“Haha. Do we really have to do this in such a war of attrition?”
“If you have a hidden card, I’ll soon draw it.”
*Swish!*
Again, as Zhuge Yulong charged, Zhuge Sa’s manipulated doll had its neck severed in just one second. Ultimately, whether it was a doll or a divine portrait, the user’s original abilities influenced it, meaning Zhuge Sa could never triumph over Zhuge Yulong. Furthermore, Zhuge Yulong could also swap bodies at will with his dolls, placing Zhuge Sa in an endlessly unfavorable situation.
There were rare moments when he attempted to retaliate using magic and evil techniques, but each time, Zhuge Yulong countered effortlessly, nullifying Zhuge Sa’s defiance with techniques suitable for the moment. He had such a plethora of spells at his disposal that it was possible for him to cast over two hundred advanced spells freely.
Bang!
*Swish!*
A gruesome massacre continued for some time, and the relatively small cave became filled with Zhuge Sa’s corpses. Despite the overwhelmingly advantageous circumstances for Zhuge Yulong, he showed no sign of relaxing, simply maintaining a dry and emotionless slaughter.
*Break!*
When Zhuge Yulong unleashed the command of destruction, the dolls resembling Zhuge Sa were torn apart like ragged cloth. Believing he had eliminated most of Zhuge Sa’s dolls, Zhuge Yulong remarked, “You’ve evaded the sealing technique of the Soul Exchange Technique with such high-level mastery. If you’re afraid of me and unwilling to fight, that’s just fine.”
*Whoosh!*
The ‘Zhuge Yulong’ dolls gathered Zhuge Sa’s remains and burned them in flames. Watching the blazing heap of corpses, he waited for something.
*Ding ding ding!*
Suddenly, the ground near the roots appeared to pulse, and blue spirit energy began flowing out like viscous paint. Unlike ordinary spirits, the intense tactile sensation seemed to convey a distinct medium of time and space! Zhuge Yulong matched the frequency of his spirit power to the energy he was discovering.
*Ding ding ding—*
Walking along the texture of the roots for quite some time, Zhuge Yulong found an area where the concentration of blue spirit energy was so dense it felt suffocating. After gazing at the massive pile of roots with nostalgic eyes for a while, he spoke.
“I’m certain the Seed of the World Tree and a reincarnation body lie within there. Sa, come at me if you dare.”
Zhuge Yulong held no contempt for Zhuge Sa. Though he had overwhelmingly defeated him in the direct confrontation of dolls, he knew Zhuge Sa was an equally cunning adversary. It was impossible that the exchange of dolls occurred without reason; thus, by utilizing the properties of the dolls, he retaliated by feeding the Root of the World Tree’s spirit energy. As a result, he had located the place where the seed—most concentrated with the World Tree’s energy—was likely resting.
Without a doubt, it was guaranteed that Zhuge Sa would take a move.
*Drip drip*
As he taunted and began to slice the roots with one of his divine portraits, a liquid resembling scarlet blood oozed out to the ground. Yet, after searching for a while without observing any movement from Zhuge Sa, he felt disappointment and muttered.
“Is he a coward?”
*Crash!*
“I found it.”
At long last, as he sliced through a root brimming with spirit energy, he discovered something akin to a watermelon, pouring into the ground. It was far too large to be a seed, yet it glimmered with a blue light, announcing its presence.
This is it!
No longer would any schemes matter. With a faint smile of triumph, Zhuge Yulong immediately aimed to grasp the seed of the World Tree and teleport with the Transmission Technique.
However, just as he was about to move while holding the seed,
“…”
The sorcery wouldn’t activate.
“Could it be that the Earth Star was triggered?”
In that instant, Zhuge Yulong thought in shock. Once the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram was unleashed, even the caster would be rendered unable to use sorcery, making it the most likely reason his divine portrait could not activate its magic.
But soon he realized that was not the case.
“…!!”
As Zhuge Yulong’s face hardened, a single doll emerged from the shadows behind him. With a sly grin, it spoke.
“Brother, you fell for it even knowing I would do this.”
“…I didn’t expect your sorcery to be at this level.”
“Isn’t it shocking to have a breakthrough in three days? Have you forgotten how many years it has been since we last met?”
Zhuge Sa swiftly snatched the World Tree seed from Zhuge Yulong’s grasp and embraced it. It was a strikingly reckless move. Naturally, he should have been swiftly killed by Zhuge Yulong’s extraordinary martial prowess. But unbelievably, Zhuge Yulong remained still, not moving at all.
No—not that he wouldn’t move.
He couldn’t move.
“No. No matter how much you train, it’s impossible for a human to master the Soul Exchange Technique to that level. Your magical power exceeds common understanding.”
“…”
After a moment of realization, Zhuge Yulong glared at Zhuge Sa’s right eye.
“That eye… It’s thanks to that cursed eye, isn’t it?”
*Whoosh!*
Zhuge Sa’s right eye was not a typical human eye. Saturated with a dark hue, the pupil gleamed with a chilling red light. Moreover, it emitted powerful magical energy in real time, creating a stark contrast to the blood-soaked left eye.
Looking like a mad demon sorcerer, Zhuge Sa caressed his right eye with a euphoric laugh.
“Aah? What a problem. I feel like my inner black goat is going wild. Do you believe me when I say this will deplete all my resources? Brother, once this is over, I’ll be a cripple for some time.”
“Did you make a deal with the Demon King?”
“Correct.”
Zhuge Sa’s pitch-black eyes radiated with deadly energy.
“As long as this ‘eye’ is active, the constraints of the Soul Exchange Technique are lifted, allowing me to control your soul just by sight.”
“…”
“Zhuge Yulong. You’ve been ensnared by the Soul Exchange Technique.”
Zhuge Yulong clenched his teeth.
That was probably one of the ultimate secret techniques of the spiritual knowledge path!
While it may sound easy, that “eye” containing the Demon King’s power could not be obtained normally. Any ordinary demon sorcerer wouldn’t dare to contract, and even if they tried, they would typically be exploited like a slave, leaving them to only be devoured endlessly. However, Zhuge Sa had reached the pinnacle of both demon sorcery and heretical techniques, successfully making a pact with the Demon’s Eye!
Normally, the Soul Exchange Technique required contact for an extended period to draw in a soul and exert control over it. However, that cursed ‘eye’ eliminated that constraint, allowing the technique to be activated merely through sight.
*Rustle rustle rustle!*
As Zhuge Yulong’s dolls began to twitch their lips, signs of the Soul Exchange Technique breaking free slowly emerged. When he attempted to use his tremendous spell power to unravel it, Zhuge Sa’s complexion momentarily paled. Yet after a moment, Zhuge Sa illuminated the eye and commanded, “Commit suicide.”
*Stab!*
Shortly thereafter, Zhuge Yulong’s dolls all simultaneously stabbed themselves in the neck, ending their lives. Enhanced to madness by the Demon King’s Eye, the Soul Exchange Technique could easily override a self-preservation instinct. However, one doll remained still, not committing suicide, as Zhuge Yulong glared at Zhuge Sa.
“Why leave one?”
“Don’t you know? If I kill them all, I’ll just swap to another host immediately, so I need to block my retreat. While I’m using the Soul Exchange Technique, that body is your prison.”
“….”
At those words, Zhuge Yulong let out a cold laugh.
“That eye must have a time limit, and you’re only throwing everything away for a momentary victory right here?”
Zhuge Sa shrugged.
“Is that a problem?”
“You’re foolish. Torturing me here will yield nothing. I can endure any physical pain with spiritual resolve. Besides, no matter how powerful your Soul Exchange Technique is, there’s no way to breach my mental defenses through the dolls. If that were possible, the Demon King of the heretical path would have ruled the world long ago.”
“True enough.”
“In this one encounter, if I win, you’ll never again have a hand in my affairs. Your right eye will be ruined, and your left will be burnt out from magical energy, leaving you blind.”
“…Well, that’s likely.”
“Is such a fleeting victory worthwhile? I genuinely don’t comprehend, Sa.”
Zhuge Yulong queried calmly. He wasn’t mocking Zhuge Sa, but their values were so fundamentally different that he could not understand.
Zhuge Sa’s strategy right now was unfit for a military adviser.
He could hardly claim to be a descendant of Zhuge Mu-hu.
On the surface, it seemed appealing, but the priorities were completely inverted.
Zhuge Yulong believed Zhuge Sa would, after gaining reasonable advantage, return to the larger picture as a proper strategist. He thought he could outpace himself in that strategic vision. However, to his surprise, Zhuge Sa, in fervent pursuit of victory on this battlefield—small-scale though it was—had fully abandoned any hope of maintaining his position afterward. From Zhuge Yulong’s perspective, there was no way the gain of obtaining the seed of the World Tree could justify such a cost.
Zhuge Sa retorted in a pessimistic tone.
“Isn’t it tiring to pretend to be a grandmaster while aiming only for the larger picture? In the eyes of the gods, we’re just insignificant ants and mortals—what meaning does that hold?”
“What did you just say? Is that the utterance of a military advisor?”
“Normally, I’d think my actions were foolish, but brother, if given an infinite number of moves, what strategy would you devise?”
“…?”
For the first time, Zhuge Yulong lost his composure, wearing a look of bewilderment. As Zhuge Sa chuckled at Zhuge Yulong’s utterly confused expression, he continued.
“If you can play millions or even billions of times, laying the foundations for the king is what a strategist ought to do.”
*Thrust!*
Once Zhuge Sa finished speaking, he abruptly plunged a dagger into Zhuge Yulong’s heart and twisted it.
“Ugh.”
Zhuge Yulong staggered, but his pragmatic familiarity with physical pain kept him composed, if only glaring at Zhuge Sa without a significant response. Zhuge Sa stepped back, leaving the dagger’s hilt embedded in his heart.
“True to your words, I will surely withdraw from the front lines for the time being. However, since leaving quietly doesn’t suit my nature, you must join me as well, brother.”
“What are you—talking about?”
“That dagger will gradually devour your soul and corrupt you over a hundred days. To expel it, you’ll have to focus solely on the spell breaking for at least ten years.”
“…”
Has he sealed me for ten years here?
That’s probably an effective strategy. Being here would make it difficult even for the Eight Parts of the Divine to track him down, and they wouldn’t feel any obligation to break the curse he laid down.
With the dagger’s magic embedded within it, he couldn’t activate any body-switching sorcery.
“What an idiot.”
Zhuge Yulong said nothing. While he may have lost here, in the grand scheme, he casually won. Considering that Zhuge Sa would go blind and lose all his footholds, it would be nothing but beneficial for Zhuge Yulong. The mere fact that a genius strategist who could freely use the Soul Exchange Technique was no longer an enemy expanded his options considerably. Ultimately, the curse of the dagger held no significance to Zhuge Yulong, who had planned the end hundreds of years ahead using military sorcery.
Zhuge Sa’s actions could be deemed a form of suicide in totality.
However, seeing Zhuge Sa’s overly relaxed expression despite having made such a deal disturbed him.
What on earth could have driven Zhuge Sa to act that way?
As Zhuge Yulong sighed, watching as Zhuge Sa completely faded into the darkness, he remarked.
“The Eight Parts of the Divine will surely go on a rampage now….”